Through Sunlight and Shadow
by Sarcasmcat
Summary: Rei is sold by his mother to a Prince in the Immortal Realm. Everything is not as it seems with the Prince and Rei must find a way to help him. AU Yaoi TalaxRei
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: I should not be starting this story, but it's irritating me so, I need to get it out. I hope you all enjoy this story.

A small single room shack sat on the border between the mortal world and the land of the immortals. Through various holes in the chinking between boards, small glimpses of light could be seen. Snowflakes slipped through the holes, settling to the wooden floor before melting in the slight heat.

The air of the room was chill, reflecting the weather on the outside. The small fire in the equally small fireplace did little to warm the room, causing the occupants to sit close together, trying to share the nearly threadbare blankets. The sound of a dry, rasping filled the room.

The small body bent forward, hands clutched against her chest, breath coming in short, sharp gasps as the coughing attack slowly eased up. "Aine!" The small girl was swept into her older brother's arm. She burrowed into her brother's warmth, pained brown eyes meeting with dazzling gold. There was a snort of laughter and golden eyes turned to slits as the young teen looked at his older sister.

"What's wrong Natasha? Think this is funny?" The older girl turned away from her brother, not able to bear the penetrating golden eyes. The boy cradled his younger sister closer, mumbling soothing words underneath his breath, Golden eyes traveled to the small fire, something about the flames mesmerizing. "Rei?" The teen looked down at the bundle is his arms and smiled. "Yes Aine." The little five year struggled to sit up and pulled her blanket tighter around her. "Can I braid your hair?" In answer the teen carefully unbound his hair from its wrap, raven strands pooling around his body.

Aine scrambled from her brother's lap and sat behind him, slowly working small, deft fingers through the raven silk. The three older sisters watched, jealously burning in their eyes. They had always been jealous of their brother. The younger teen had an exotic look that had led to numerous suitors, though their family was poor. Silk like hair hung down to his ankles. Innocent golden eyes looked out over the world. His skin was tan, so unlike the sallow skin that his sisters had.

Pansy, Rei's second oldest sister got to her feet, clutching her tattered blanket like it was a velvet robe. She casually walked behind Aine, quickly and cruelly twisting her fingers into her sister's hair, tugging hard. The small girl pulled away letting out a whimper. Rei came to his feet, half-braided ebony hair swinging behind him. Cat like fangs were bared, golden eyes burning with anger. "Pansy! Why do you continue to be that way? She's five leave her alone!"

He finished braiding his hair and tied it off before picking his younger sister back up. Wrapping his blanket around the frail body he sat down next to the fire, crooning unintelligible words. Aine slowly drifted to sleep, one hand clutching her brother's shirt. He slowly got to his feet and gently set her in their bed, drawing the wool blankets up.

The teen sat back down in front of the fire, all too aware of his sisters' eyes boring into his back. Natasha, Pansy and Tansy had always disliked him and he knew it. They were too scared to pick on him so they chose to go for Aine. He felt a fourth pair of eyes join his sisters and turned to find his mother staring at him, her eyes just as jealous as her daughters.

Rei let a silent sigh escape and he turned back to the fire, idly toying with the end of his bound hair.  His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a banging sound on the door. He exchanged a startled look with his mother and he slowly got to his feet, eyes riveted on the door as it shuddered again, flimsy wood no match for whatever was pounding on the door. He rested one hand on the door latch, ignoring the worried looks he was getting from his mother and sisters. 

He pulled open the door, letting out a slight yelp as the wind ripped it from his hands. A figure slinked into the room and Rei grabbed the door, struggling to pull it closed against the wind. He quickly latched it shut and turned, golden eyes widening in shock.

Sitting near the table was a large, green striped tiger that took up most of the free space in the small shack. The majestic cat shook its self, dislodging snowflakes. Emerald eyes fastened on the young teen and the tiger moved closer, warm breath ruffling the dark strands. Rei could see a tube in a harness and he slowly reached out, fingers brushing the soft fur. The teen unhooked the tube from the strap and opened the tube. A scroll of parchment dropped into his hand.

The scroll was sealed by a wax seal, a picture of a wolf in front of the moon pressed into the wax. Rei broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, golden eyes confused. His mother and sisters were clustered around the fire, watching the tiger with fear. Aine had awoken at the sound of the door slamming. She crawled out of the bed, brown orbs filled with joy at the sight of the tiger. Natasha reached out to grab her and missed.

The small girl trundled over to her brother and tugged at his pants. Rei looked down and smiled one fang visible. "What is it Ai?" She pointed at the tiger. "Can I pet the kitty?" His eyes drifted over to the tiger. The magnificent cat was curled on the floor, emerald eyes barely visible. He nodded. "Just move slowly." Aine slowly moved forward, her blanket trailing behind her on the ground. 

Rei's eyes drifted back to the scroll and he started reading it, eyes easily picking apart the neat handwriting.

_To the guardian of the children that live in the house on the border between Realms_

_Don't worry about Driger. In fact, he happens to have a special soft spot for children._

Rei glanced up to find Aine curled against the tiger's side, stroking the green stripes. Driger was enjoying the rubbing, his purring filling the room. Golden eyes went back to the scroll.

_I find that I have become rather enamored with your son. I am the holder of a vast estate in the Immortal realms and I would be willing to pay a handsome bride-price for him. I would also include an annual allowance that would allow you and your daughters to live in modest luxury for the rest of your lives. If the answer is yes, Driger will escort your son to my estates. Until then._

_Lord Tala,_

_Prince of Farian_

Rei stared at the scroll in shock, golden eyes wide. His mother moved next to him, mud colored eyes questioning. "Rei, what's wrong?" He handed her the scroll and moved over to sit with Aine, one hand brushing the soft white fur. Claire quickly scanned the scroll before handing it to her three oldest daughters. They all read it, eyes burning with jealousy. Natasha dropped the letter to the floor, stomping her foot in anger. "I'm, the oldest! I should be the first to get married, not him." Quick as lighting Claire smacked her daughter. "Shut up Natasha. Don't you see? If Rei goes to this Prince we'll have enough money to find husbands for all of you!"

Pansy and Tansy both smiled, their thoughts all ready turning to thoughts of parties and rich suitors. "You're forgetting one thing Mother." Claire turned to look at her son who was sitting on the floor, Aine once again curled in his lap, asleep. "And what would that be Rei?" Her voice was sickly sweet and the teen had a very good idea of where his mother's thoughts were going. "I never said I was going."

Claire dropped to her knees in front of her son, one hand reaching out to firmly grip his chin, forcing him to look at her. "But Rei, think about it. If you went, we could have a new house made. Aine would have some place warm to live and we could finally afford the medicine she needs." Rei shook his head. "Just give me some time to think it over." Claire nodded and got up, eyes flashing with triumph. 

Rei slowly got to his feet, careful not to wake Aine. He crawled into the bed and curled around her small body, pulling the blankets up against the chill in the room. As he drifted to sleep he heard his mother talking to Driger. "Come back in seven days. I will make sure that Rei comes with you." It was followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. Tears slipped from behind closed eyelids as he contemplated his future.

*****

The seven days passed quickly and on the eve of the seventh night Driger reappeared, a harness affixed to his body, several bundles hanging from the harness. Claire immediately went for the box that contained the bride-price, letting out a happy squeal at the sight of the gold and silver coins. Natasha, Pansy and Tansy joined their mother, fingers reverently brushing at the gold. 

Aine was sitting in front of the fire, braiding Rei's hair. Driger padded over to them and lay down, nosing at Rei. The teen reached out and scratched between the tiger's ears, golden eyes wistful. "Hey Driger." The tiger moved forward slightly, resting his massive head on Rei's leg. Aine tied off the end of Rei's hair and got to her feet, starting to look through the bags that were attached to the harness.

She pulled out a blanket, and stared at the embroidery that decorated one corner. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and crawled into her brother's lap, lifting the embroidered corner up to his eyes. "Rei, what's this say?" He took the corner of the blanket and smiled, one fang peeking out. "It says Aine. It's your blanket." She snuggled further into the blanket, slowly drifting to sleep. Rei lay Aine down in their bed before returning to sit in front of the fire.

His eyes roamed over the small shack, his eyes memorizing every little detail of the place he had known for his entire life. The small holes in the chinking, the rafters of the ceiling, the placement of the beds, the dishes and their cooking utensils all the little things that made this place his home. With a last look around he crawled into the bed.

*****

Claire made her way over to the bed where her two youngest children lay sleeping. Her eyes lingered on Rei and she felt a surge of dislike and jealously surge through her body. It wasn't fair. She woke him, avoiding the betrayed look that lurked in the golden depths. "Get up. The tiger is pacing and is antsy to go. Get dressed. Your stuff is at the foot of the bed." She turned on heel, making her way over to the table where the box containing the bride-price lay.

Lying at the foot of the bed were several articles of clothing. A black all weather cloak, brown leather trousers and a leather vest, sturdy brown boots, a red silk jerkin and  red silk pants. He slipped into the curtained portion of the shack and slipped into the silk underclothes before pulling on the leather. He rebound his hair, tying it off at the end with a red ribbon. Aine was up when he came out and she watched as he pulled the boots on. "Where you going Rei?"

Rei pulled his sister into his arms, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm leaving. I promise I'll come back and visit. I want you to be a good girl okay." Aine nodded, a crystal tear sliding down her thin cheek. The teen wrapped her in her new blanket, hugging her close. "I love you Aine."

He drew the cloak around his shoulders, fastening it with ruby cloak clasp. Just before opening the door he cast one last glance around his home. He opened the door and let Driger out. Rei pulled his hood up and clambered up onto the tiger's back, hands curling into the fur. Golden eyes slid shut as they crossed the border between Realms.

A/N2: Driger is bigger then a normal tiger because he's from the Immortal plain.__


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own it.  
  
A/N: Sorry this took so long. My family is down to one computer so; updates are going to be a lot less frequent. Like they were frequent to begin with. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.  
  
A tingling sensation ran through Rei's body as they crossed the boundary between the Realms. Golden eyes opened and a gasp slipped from between parted lips. He and Driger were standing on a rise, looking out over a valley. At the far end of the valley, miles away was what looked like darkness hovering in the air. Rei knew that it marked the boundary between realms.  
  
In the distance cliffs rose, brown standing out against the blue sky. The grass underfoot was thick and healthy. At the base of the rise was a forest, green leaves reaching out to the sun. "This must be the Earth Realm, Ketarian." The great tiger made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a yes. Rei shook his head, trying to bring his thoughts to order. He wasn't sure how he knew the name of the Earth Realm. He could not remember having heard Ketarian at all in his life.  
  
They started down to the forest, Driger carefully making his way down the rock strewn side. A path led into the forest, the branches of the trees, blocking out the sunlight. The darkness enveloped them. Rei stared into the darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust. As long as he could remember he could always see exceptionally well in the darkness.  
  
The sound of a hooting owl broke the eerie silence and Rei jumped, his fingers tangling in Driger's fur. The tiger growled softly, emerald eyes glowing in the darkness. "Sorry Driger. I'm just a little jumpy."  
  
What seemed like days later Driger got off the path, following a barely visible path to a small clearing on the left side of the trail. A small stream ran through one side of the clearing and some fruit and dry meat sat in a leaf bowl.  
  
Rei slid from the tiger's back, clinging to the harness as the blood returned to his feet. "How much longer Driger?" Driger nudged a tube that was attached to the harness. The teen unhooked the tube and unscrewed the top, carefully pulling out the piece of paper that was inside.  
  
He sank to the ground and unrolled the paper, eyes widening in shock. It was a map, painstakingly drawn, showing every little detail, down to the number of days written along each path. Driger shook himself violently, the clinking of his harness drawing Rei's eyes too him. "I take it you want it off?" The tiger nodded and Rei stripped off the harness and set it to one side. Driger shook himself and let out a purr of pleasure before disappearing into the woods.  
  
Rei picked up the fruit and dried meat, and leaned back against a rock that sat on the bank of the stream. The sounds of birds and animals scampering through the forest reached his keen ears, lending an air of serenity to the woods. The sun was rapidly sinking behind the trees, darkening the woods.  
  
Rei climbed up on top of the rock after he had finished his meal. He lay down on the rock, golden eyes watching as the stars appeared overhead. A faint gasp of surprise slipped out as he realized that the constellations that danced overhead were very different from the ones that adorned the skies in the Mortal Realm. The rustling of bushes reached his ears and he sat up, keen eyes fixed on the bushes at the edge of the clearing. Not seeing anything, Rei got down from the rock and made his way over to the harness to get the bedroll off. "Very funny Driger. Scare me."  
  
When he didn't get an answer he turned around, hand going to the dagger he had found in with the clothing that morning. He slowly backed toward the rock, eyes darting wildly about; silently praying to any god that might be listening that Driger would return.  
  
Small hunched figures slipped out of the underbrush, red eyes glowing in the darkness. From what Rei could see, small wings protruded from the little creatures backs. Small claws glinted in the moonlight, slightly reminiscent of metal. He pulled the dagger from its sheath, fingers curling tightly around the handle.  
  
The creatures were slowly moving closer, and Rei was backed up against the rock. An arrow appeared out of the bushes, striking the lead creature in the head. It fell to the ground, its death shriek piercing the air. Dark lightning mowed three more down, their shrieks twining together in an eerie chorus. Within minutes all the creatures were dead, their bodies turning to ash as the last one fell.  
  
A figure stepped from the bushes, followed by what looked to be a large cat. Golden eyes scanned the piles of ash before turning to the focus on Rei. The person in question was slightly shorter then Rei. Dark hair was tied back with a strip of white fabric. Dark clothing wrapped around the lithe figure, hiding him in darkness. A long knife was strapped to one thigh, with a quiver of arrows protruding over one shoulder. A bow was held easily in strong hands. A large black lion sat next to the hunter, black tail flicking against the ground in a regular beat.  
  
The figure leaned on his bow, hands folded over the top. "Looks like Tala finally found someone. What do you think Galleon?" The lion made a deep whuffing sound, idly cleaning one huge paw. "Nice of you to comment. And where is your escort?" Rei relaxed his grip on his dagger, golden eyes meeting the ones so much like his own.  
  
"Driger went off hunting. I do not think he expected to be attacked in friendly land. And if I may ask Sir, who are you?" The short figured bowed. "Li, Lord of Ketarian, brother of Lord Tala, at your service." Rei slid his dagger into its sheath, a light blush staining his cheeks. "My Lord, I'm sor." Li cut him off. "Don't worry about it. The four of us hate that title. If we could get away with removing it we would." He looked at the teen, golden eyes lit with humor at the confused look on Rei's face.  
  
"Tala, Kai, Bryan and I are the Lords of the Elemental Realms." Rei sat down, drawing his cloak close. "So you're Tala's brother?" Li set his bow down and turned to Galleon. "Go find Driger. I'll remain here until you return." He sat down across from the teen. "We're not brothers in the literal sense of the word. Long ago, each of us was chosen from thousands of other children for the amount of magic aptitude in our bodies. We were infused with the magic of the four major realms. The magic bound us to the land and to each other."  
  
There was a rustling in the bushes and Driger and Galleon returned. Driger curled around Rei, head resting on the teen's leg. Rei scratched the tiger's ears, smiling as he felt a purr shake the large body. Li got to his feet, brushing grass and dirt from his pants. "You'll be safe for the rest of the night. The fact that anything dared attack you in my Realm does not bode well."  
  
"Li, what is Tala like?" The neko-jin slipped his bow across his chest. "I will not taint your thoughts of him. I will see you later. And be sure that you will eventually meet Bryan and Kai also. Farwell and good travels." LI and Galleon melted into the dark woods, their footsteps inaudible.  
  
Rei pulled his cloak tight and curled up against Driger's side. He felt the long green and white tail curl around his body, keeping him warm. His sleep was peaceful and undisturbed.  
  
*****  
  
The border shimmered in front of them, obscuring any sight of the next realm. "Well, on ward and forward Driger." The great tiger crossed the boundary, seemingly oblivious to the tingling that accompanied it.  
  
Rei grabbed his cloak as it attempted to take flight. His free hand tangled further into the green and white fur as he was almost blown from his perch. "Raigen, Realm of Wind." Again there seemed to be something nagging in the back of his mind, something that told him that he had been here before.  
  
He slid from Driger's back, using the tiger as a buffer from the wind. One hand tangled in the straps of the harness, the other holding his cloak closed. The trees surrounding them were stunted and wind twisted. The grass was wind swept and dust devils were visible for miles. "Oh, this is going to be fun." Driger made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh.  
  
The wind carried an eerie, high pitched sound to the teen's ears. It took him several minutes to realize that it was the hunting call of a falcon. Many times during the spring and summer, he had watched falcons hunt on the fields. He looked up to see a huge silver falcon overhead. "I take it that that's an immortal falcon?" Driger nodded his pace not breaking as they continued through the wind swept realm.  
  
The falcon paced them their whole journey through Raigen.  
  
*****  
  
Rei, by now was used to the tingles of passing from Realm to Realm. He was not however, prepared for the heat. He took off his cloak and strapped it to Driger's harness. He also stripped off his leather vest and tossed it on the tiger. "Celirim, Realm of Fire."  
  
The grass was red, and heat seemed to be radiating up from it. The foliage of the trees was different colors, ranging form red, to a fire color and stood out starkly against the blue sky. The bark of the trees was a mahogany color. The stream near by looked almost red, but as Rei refilled his canteen he found that it was just the dirt and rocks that made up the streambed.  
  
Sitting on a branch in the nearest tree was a huge phoenix. Dark brown eyes stared down at Rei and Driger. With a loud cry the crimson bird took to the air, eight foot wing span easily cutting through the hot air. The phoenix, wheeled above them for several minutes before turning to the west, towards the next boundary. "Beautiful bird. Aine is going to love hearing about this. She's always loved mythical animals."  
  
*****  
  
Driger stopped at the boundary. "Driger?" Emerald eyes focused on the teen and the tiger nudged Rei's cloak and vest. "I take it you want me to put them back on?" The tiger nodded and Rei complied before climbing back up on to Driger's back.  
  
The tiger stepped across the boundary. A short shrill gasp was ripped from Rei's throat as they passed through. "Holy shit its cold." Driger moved off the trail, to a small stone building. Rei climbed slid from Driger's back, his teeth chattering. He pushed open the stone door and shut it behind himself, letting the warmth soak in.  
  
Inside the building was a second cloak and a small stone. He wrapped the cloak over his shoulders, fastening it with the blue cloak clasp that was attached to it. The moment he picked up the stone it started glowing, heat sinking into his hands. "I'm starting to see serious benefits to magic.  
  
Rei climbed back up on Driger, stone held close to his chest with one hand. He lowered his head as a gust of wind blew some snow off of a tree branch over head. Slowly time passed, the only thing he was aware of was the biting cold and the warmth of the stone.  
  
A bump on his leg caused him to lift his head. Sitting at the base of the valley was a large stone manor. The cultivated lands stretched out into the distance, fog covering land in the distance.  
  
"I guess this is my new home." 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: I hope you all enjoy this chapter

They started down the steep trail, the chill wind slowly diminishing as they entered the forest that flanked the trail. Rei tilted to one side as the sound of soft yipping reached his ears. He looked towards the left hand side of the trail, eyes widening as three figures slinked from the deep underbrush of the trees. 

As the figures drew closer, their shadows resolved into those of wolves. Two were huge specimens, easily as large as Driger. One was white-blue, with golden-blue eyes that showed human intelligence. The other large wolf had a black undercoat that slipped into silver at the tips. Yellow eyes constantly scanned their surroundings.

It was the smallest wolf however, that captivated Rei. The wolf was significantly smaller then the other two. His coat was white and gray, giving him a dignified look. Crystalline blue eyes focused on the neko-jin and the wolf moved closer, nose brushing against the neko-jin's leg, inhaling deeply.

The wolf stepped back, blue eyes shining. He bowed low to the neko-jin before starting down the trial, moving with ease through the deepening snow. The two larger wolves followed, breaking more of a trail. With a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh, Driger started off after the wolves. 

As they descended further into the valley the temperature seemed to rise, though the snow stayed solid. The rock in his hands slowly cooled and Rei slipped it into a pouch that hung from his belt. The ground flattened out and the forest receded, leaving snow covered plains to stretch out into the fog.

Rei felt his eyelids grow heavy and he stifled a yawn, not wanting to miss any of his spectacular surroundings. They had been traveling since well before dawn and his body was complaining about the lack of sleep. He looked up to find the three wolves standing by a row of hedges, watching him intently.

The smaller wolf gave them a look and the two larger ones faded into the fog, their outlines barely visible. The grey and white wolf moved to Driger's side and sat down, tail wrapping around his paws. Rei cautiously reached a hand out, fingers gently brushing over the wolf's ears. The wolf's tail thumped against the ground, raising little clouds of snow. Rei caressed the wolf's ears, fingers sliding through the soft fur.

Driger made an impatient sound and the wolf stood, nose brushing against Rei's hand. "I take it I'll see you again?" The wolf nodded slightly and bowed before disappearing into the fog with the other wolves. The great tiger started down the hedge lined path, the snow muffling any sounds.

Slowly a great manor appeared in the fog. The manor was made out of white marble, making it look like an upward extension of the snow. The door was twelve feet tall, made of a light, almost white wood and was banded with iron strips. Heavy curtains hung covered the windows, keeping the chill from creeping in.  Off to the left of the manor was a stable and Rei could here the sounds of horses.

To the right of the manor and curving back behind was a huge garden, covered in snow. Rei wasn't sure how things could grow in the garden, seeing as it was perpetual winter. Driger pushed his head against the door, and the doors slowly opened without a creak. The door seemingly closed behind them and Rei slid from the great tiger's back, fingers tangling in the green and white fur. 

Golden eyes swept the room, stunned by the opulent surroundings. A single staircase ran up to a balcony that ran around the upper level, leading off into hallways and rooms. Several hallways led off the foyer and through a half-open doorway Rei caught a glimpse of a library and a chess table. The floor of the foyer had a wolf howling at the moon embedded in it, the dark marble standing out against the white.

"My Lord." Rei looked up to find a plump old lady standing in front of him, hands folded in front of her. Driger nudged him and Rei shook of his surprise, smiling slightly. "Hello." The old lady smiled and curtsied slightly. "I'm Nadine. If you would follow me." She started up the stairs, and Rei hurried to follow her, pulling his cloaks around him tightly. At the top of the stairs she turned to the right. "How was your journey?" Rei shrugged, eyes wandering over the fairy lights that lit the hallway. "It was interesting."  Nadine pushed one of the door's open and stepped to one side, allowing Rei to pass her. She closed the door, smiling at Rei's awe.

A huge bed sat against one wall, the bedposts carved with vines and animals. A deep burgundy comforter was spread over the bed. Heavy curtains of the same color were gathered at the corners, providing another layer against the cold. A wardrobe stood across from the bed, with a vanity sitting next to it. Burgundy curtains were drawn across the window, blocking off the view Rei was sure would be spectacular. Gold and burgundy carpets covered the floor and a fire burned merrily in the fireplace, casting shadows against a lounge couch and a chair.

Nadine pointed to a second door that was covered with a slightly translucent golden curtain. "There's a bath in there and clean clothes in the wardrobe. I will come get you for dinner, which is in four hours." The housekeeper disappeared, leaving Rei alone. 

He dropped his two cloaks and his vest onto the bed, setting his shoes at the foot of the bed. Walking over to the wardrobe he opened it, a small gasp escaping. Red, gold, white, black and red-brown clothing stared back at him; many different types of fabric filling the wardrobe.

Rei picked out a pair of loose black pants and a white shirt, deciding that a bath followed by a short nap wouldn't do any harm. With the bath, Rei had been expecting a wooden tub, filled with rapidly cooling water. When he found the truth, he wished that Aine was here to see.

A deep tub rested in the middle of the floor. Pipes rose out of the floor, providing hot water. Soap and bath salts rested in baskets along side the tub, towels lying with in easy reach. He quickly unbound his hair and undressed, sighing in pleasure as the hot water closed over his aching muscles.

Rei spent an hour in the tub, adding fresh hot water when his started to chill. He cleaned himself thoroughly, taking most of the time to clean his hair. Although it had remained bound for the entire trip, the dust had still permeated the ebony strands. He drained the water out of the tub and slipped into the clean clothes, warm and content. The teen crawled into the bed, drawing the sheet, the gold silk blanket and the comforter up, slowly falling asleep.

*****

Rei slowly came back to the waking world, well aware of someone standing over him. He rolled onto his back, blinking his eyes rapidly in an effort to stay awake. Nadine was standing above him. "I already have clothes for you. I assume you don't need help with your hair?" Rei slowly sat up and nodded. "You saw the library?" Rei nodded again. "The dining room is to the left of the library." Nadine left and Rei got out of the bed. "Well, she's social."

Lying at the foot of the bed was a black pair of pants, a black sash and a fine golden long-sleeved shirt. He pulled the black pants on and traded his sleeping shirt for the gold one, lacing up the throat. The sleeves of the shirt were tight at the wrist and billowed out. The sleeves looked like they had been slashed and white panels rested between. He tied the sash around his waist and slipped on a clean pair of shoes.

The vanity was sprinkled with a myriad of items, all of them neatly arranged. Ribbons spilled from a small box and several brushes of varying sizes lay in a neat row. Rei picked up the largest brush, smiling. A white and green enamel tiger lay on a silver background. With slow methodical movements he worked through his hair, removing all the knots.

An indigo sash lay across the stool and Rei picked it up, tying the ends together before looping it around his hair several times. Having his hair pulled back like that revealed a gold earring that rested just below the tip of his ear. There had been a number of times that his mother had tried to remove it, but it never came out.

A second box rested next to the one full of ribbons and Rei found that his curiosity was getting the best of him. He lifted the lid slowly, managing to hold back his gasp of surprise. The box was lined with black velvet, the black proving a backdrop to the jewelry that lay in the box. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings tangled together, each a picture of artistry. Lying in the middle of the bow was an envelope. Rei picked it up surprised at the weight.

He unfolded the envelope and a gold bracelet dropped out, ringing softly against the wood. He picked it up. The bracelet was made like a tiger, the tail brushing the nose and small emeralds made the eyes. The stripes were silver that had been inlayed. A small piece of paper fell out seconds later and Rei unfolded it. The same writing from the letter adorned the cream paper.

_I had this bracelet especially made for you. Please wear it, though I know that your own beauty surpasses it's own._

_Tala_

Rei slipped the bracelet on and left the room, breathing deep in an effort to keep from hyperventilating. The house around him was silent, leaving him with the impression that he was alone in the huge house. He slowly descended the stairs, eyes drawn to the half open door of the dining room.

He stopped behind the closed part of the door, tugging nervously at a wisp of hair that had escaped. "I can do this. If Aine was here she would just run in there. Somehow, I don't' think that would be appropriate at the moment. " Rei bit down on his lip, the sound of his whisper ringing in his ears sacrilegiously. 

Feeling slightly childish, Rei curled his fingers around the edge of the door and peered into the dining room. The room was just as opulent as the rest of the manor, yet the richness dulled in comparison to the person in the room.

Crimson hair was swept back, revealing high cheekbones. Pale skin was set off by cyan blue and ice blue eyes idly scanned a book that lay on the table. Long fingers tapped against a goblet and long legs stretched out, booted feet barely visible.  

Blue eyes flew up from their perusal and Rei's breath caught in his throat. Tala got to his feet in a hurry, stumbling slightly in the process. Rei bit down on his lip, trying to suppress a giggle. Tala closed his book, a light blush tinting his cheeks. "Come in Rei. I promise I don't bite."

Rei hesitantly stepped into the room, suddenly feeling very subconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

An: Another long update period. Sorry. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Rei tried not to fidget as Tala moved closer, ice blue eyes roaming over him. The redhead stopped inches from him, eyes filled with affection and happiness. "You're beautiful." Rei looked down at the floor, feeling a flush creep up. "My Lord, you are too kind." Hearing a slight laugh Rei flushed even more, fearing that he had made a grievous error.

Warm fingers tipped his head back and amused blue eyes met his gaze. "Don't worry about calling me My Lord. It makes me feel old." Rei smiled, feeling a little more comfortable with the tall prince. "I remember Lei saying something along those lines." 

Tala nodded. "He would. I'm sorry to hear about your encounter in Ketarian." He placed a gentle hand on the small of Rei's back and gently pushed him forward. Tala, in an act befitting his station pulled the chair out for Rei.

He gracefully sank into his own chair and set the book into the chair on his left before taking a drink from his glass. Rei picked up his own glass and sniffed it. The liquid was crystal clear and smelled slightly wintry. He hesitantly took a sip of it, golden eyes widening. It tasted slightly like mint and fresh fallen snow. Tala, noticing his shocked look smiled. "It's made from fermented winter pomes."

"It's good." A servant came in carrying a silver platter. He set a plate in front of Rei and one in front of Tala before leaving. Dinner was chicken, something that surprised Rei greatly. He expected it to be something more, unique. There was also a fresh salad. Nowhere coming through the valley had Rei seen anything green other then the pine trees.

Tala drained his glass and patiently waited for Rei to finish up. Rei set his knife and fork on his plate before pushing it to rest in the middle of the table. "If you're not feeling to tired, would you like to wander around the manor?" Rei nodded and got to his feet, taking the hand Tala offered to him.

Their first stop was the library, which was conveniently located right next to the dining hall. Tala had to smile at the pleased gasp that came from Rei. The bookshelves in the room were made of dark wood and reached half way up the wall. A balcony ran around the room, leading to more bookshelves. Windows were placed in strategic places throughout the room and a fireplace was set in one wall, providing a warm place to read.

"Do you like it?" Rei smiled and impulsively hugged the redhead. "I love it!" He released Tala, a blush once again highlighting his cheeks and bridge of his nose. "That's good. I hate to pry you from here, but there's so much more to show, and I would like to get you to bed before sunup."

Rei nodded in understanding and again took Tala's hand, fingers twining together. Tala pushed open the doors across the foyer from the library and drew Rei into the room, snapping the fingers of his free hand.

White mage globes sprang to life, illuminating the room. The floor was made of dark and light wood, the colors alternating. The far wall of the room was windows, allowing the light of the full moon to add to the brightness of the room. Mirrors lined the walls, showing reflection upon reflection. Tala sighed at the thought of the parties that had been held there what seemed like only minutes ago.

"It's beautiful." Rei moved further into the room, utterly entranced by it. He could imagine the looks of jealousy on the faces of his sisters. They would be absolutely fuming. "Have you ever thrown a party in here?" Tala watched the teen from where he leaned against the doorframe; avidly watching Rei's every graceful movement.

"Once, a long time ago. Come. You can spend as much time in here as you want tomorrow, I promise."

The trip through the manor house was long. Rei enjoyed every minute of it, feeling this was one of the best ways to get to know the prince. There were rooms for everything a person could want or need. A sunroom, music room, and an amazing number of bedrooms. The secret staircases used by servants.

Tala ended the tour right in front of the door to Rei's room, having noticed his fatigue. "And my room is at the end of the hall. If you need anything during the night, don't hesitate to come down." He kissed Rei on the forehead. "Good night."

Rei entered his room, glad that a fire was burning. He was cold, but he had been having such a great time that he had forgotten about his discomfort. His clothing from after his bath still sat on the foot of the bed and he changed into them. A sigh of pleasure slipped from him as he curled under the thick blankets. Someone had warmed the sheets.

*****

Rei slowly came awake to the sound of the curtains of the window being opened. He sat up and stretched, smiling contently. "Good morning Nadine." The woman smiled as she tied the curtains back. "Good morning. I trust you slept well?" Rei nodded, a nice scent reaching his nose.

Nadine's smile widened as she saw his eyes focus on the tray that rested on the vanity. She handed him the tray. "I figured after all the excitement yesterday you could handle breakfast in bed." Rei lifted the lid off. A glass of tea, a fruit salad and toast was arranged artfully on the platter, calling to him.

The housekeeper started moving around the room, straightening up anything that came to mind. "What were you planning on doing today?" Rei ate a strawberry before answering. "I wanted to look around the library, but first I was thinking about looking around outside." She nodded as she picked up his clothes from last night. 

"Sounds like a good idea. In the drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe you'll find some clothing enchanted by Master Kai. They should keep you more then warm enough. Master Tala also wanted me to tell you that he was called away on some important business early this morning. He should be back around dinner." 

Rei set the tray aside and got to his feet, cradling the cup of tea. "Thank you." She curtseyed and left the room.

*****

The moment he stepped outside Driger came running up to greet him, hoping for a scratch behind the ears. The great tiger purred, tail flicking back and forth against Rei, depositing white and green fur on his cloak. Rei rolled his eyes, still scratching the cat's ears. "Thanks Driger. I suppose you want to keep me company?"

Driger nodded and started through the knee-deep snow, braking a path for his companion. The path curled around the manor, leading to a sprawling vegetable and flower garden with a massive orchard disappearing into the fog of the valley.

Driger was sitting in front of one of the beds, his tail wrapped around his feet as he sniffed at one of the plants. The plants, under the blanket of snow that covered them, were green and thriving, flowers and fruit visible. The tiger's hot breath was melting the snow on the plants and Rei had to smile.

A plump red strawberry was revealed, a bright contrast to the snow. Driger glanced up at Rei before turning his emerald gaze back to the berry. "I take it you want it?" The tiger whuffed, eyes never leaving the fruit. Rei slipped off his glove and gently pulled the fruit from its runner.

Driger delicately took it from his fingers and swallowed the fruit, before dashing off in the direction of the orchard, leaping over the beds. He paused on the edge of the trees and glanced over his shoulder, emerald eyes beckoning for his companion to join him.

Rei drew his cloak tighter, pulling his glove back on as he wove through the garden. "Driger, if I get lost…" The tiger moved back to stand with Rei, nuzzling his gloved hands in reassurance. The teen twisted his hand into Driger's fur. "Fine, you win."

Rei never saw the three wolves that watched him from the fog.

*****

Tala stopped in the doorway to the library, smiling at the sight that greeted him. Rei was sprawled on the fur rug in front of the fire, asleep. A book lay just inches in front of him, half-finished. The redhead stepped into the room, footsteps silent on the stone floor

He knelt down next to Rei, gently brushing back some of the teen's hair. The raven mass was loose, standing out starkly against the white fur. Rei unconsciously moved closer to Tala, a rumbling purr emanating from his lithe body. Tala froze.

The last time he had heard that sound had been years ago. Shortly after the Elemental Lords had been bound to each other and their lands, Tala, Lei, Kai and Bryan had lived together for five years, spending the time learning how to work their powers together. At night, in the room they shared, Lei would purr as he slept.

"Morning Tala." Rei's voice was husky with sleep. Tala laughed softly and placed a soft kiss on Rei's cheek. "You're a little behind Rei." The teen slowly sat up, eyes drawn to the windows. Sure enough it was full dark outside. "I slept almost all day!" Rei looked so distressed that Tala was hard put not laugh. "Don't worry about it. What activity did you that fatigued you so much?"

Rei stretched, wincing as his back popped. "Driger dragged me all over the grounds." Tala got to his feet, offering a hand to Rei. The teen took it and stood. "I could believe it. Driger has boundless amounts of energy. This however, is the first time that he's had somebody to explore with."

Rei allowed Tala to lead him to the dining room. "I had fun. I was thinking of taking a lunch out to explore more." Tala pushed open the doors to the dining room. "Feel free. But promise me you won't get to far from the Manor. Driger is an exceptional guardian, but even he may come across something he can't handle."

Tala took an involuntary step forward when Rei tackled him from behind, wrapping his arms around his waist. "I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: Another long update period. Sorry. Damn school. I hope you all enjoy it.

Rei pulled on a pair of black pants and a red shirt before pulling his cloak from its place in the wardrobe. He had been looking forward to spending the day with Tala but Nadine had given him a note from the redhead. A minor land dispute had popped up between two noble families and Tala was the only one who could solve the problem.

The teen fastened his cloak and dropped the warming rock into his belt pouch before slipping on his fur lined boots. As he made his way downstairs he glanced around, trying to fight down his nervousness. The manor was huge, and the only other people he had seen besides Tala and Nadine were the people who worked in the kitchen. And they rarely were seen.

Driger was waiting in the foyer of the house, tail idly flicking against the floor. "Morning Driger." The great tiger purred and stretched. Rei pushed open the door blinking to clear his sight.

It was softly snowing, though no clouds were visible. The knee deep snow was unmarred and Driger took great pleasure in racing through it. Rei followed more sedately. Seconds later he found himself on the back, a cold nose against his neck. He blindly reached up, fingers tangling in short fur.

"Nice to see you to Zev, but would you please move. It's a little cold." The raven haired teen sat up and hugged the wolf close. Zev buried his head in the teen's cloak, white and grey fur standing at all angles.

-----

Rei took a bite of the strawberry, golden eyes roaming over the manor grounds. Driger nudged him and the teen absentmindedly handed him a berry. Zev was curled at his feet, tail over his nose, eyes half closed.

Both Zev and Driger looked up, eyes focused out towards the road that ran to the front of the manor. Rei's eyes followed their gaze, trying to see what the two immortal creatures were so worried about. Muffled clopping reached his ears and he got to his feet, ignoring the disgruntled look Zev gave him.

Driger slunk off the bench and walked at Rei's right side, his tail lashing behind him. Zev trotted at his other side, pressed against the teen. Rei stopped in front of the manor golden eyes fixed on the three riders in the road.

Lei was on the far left, Galleon at his side. His bow was barely visible over his back and he was dressed in dark green, his cloak drawn close with the hood up. The other two men, Rei could only assume were Tala's brothers, Kai and Bryan.

The man in the middle had unruly grey hair that stuck up at all angles. He was dressed in dark navy without a cloak. He appeared to be unarmed but Rei could make out a knife in the top of each boot, one strapped to his thigh, and what looked like one in an arm sheath.

The third man was easily the tallest of the four brothers. His lavender hair brushed against his shoulders and he was dressed in black, a stark contrast to his pale skin and hair. The hilt of a sword protruded over his shoulder and a knife was strapped to his leg. His cloak hung open.

Lei saw him and waved, a broad smile curling his lips. Rei smiled slightly, not wanting to show his age. He was afraid that Kai and Bryan would not be able to see beyond his youth. Zev, seeming to sense his anxiety thrust his muzzle in Rei's gloved hand in silent support.

Lei pulled his horse to halt, spumes of snow rising around the animal's feet. He slid from his horse's back with feline grace and started to undo his saddlebags. "Hello. How have you been?" Rei moved forward and took the reins of Li's horse, stroking the animal's nose.

"Not bad. I've enjoyed the quiet." Lei nodded and draped his bags over Galleon's back. "It is nice. Bryan, Kai, stop being such bastards. Say hello to Tala's chosen." Rei tried not to fidget as neutral eyes turned on him. Zev pressed closer to Rei, a low growl resonating his small body. Driger moved to stand in front of Rei, green eyes focused on the Lords of Fire and Wind.

Kai smirked and nodded in greeting before going back to unharnessing his horse. Bryan frowned at Driger, silver eyes seeming to glow. "Calm Tiger. Tala needs to teach you to better understand the difference between indifference and hidden emotions."

He whistled and a massive silver falcon settled on a low tree branch, winds kicking up snow. The falcon cocked its head to one side and chirped questioningly. Bryan reached into his belt pouch and pulled a leather thong from it, with something dangling from the end.

Rei couldn't quiet discern what the little talisman was and before he could look closer, Bryan wrapped it around the falcon's leg. With a trill of understanding the falcon took to the air. Kai's phoenix joined the falcon and they headed north.

-----

Rei looked up from his book, a bright smile curling his lips. Tala was standing in the doorway, blue eyes bright. He was dressed in a white shirt with sleeves edged with yellow-gold. His white pants and red vest were edged in black. "How did it go with Kai and Bryan?"

The raven haired teen sat his book on the table next to his chair and got to his feet. "Okay. They seem a little...cold." Tala nodded and absently tugged at a bang. "They've been like that since they were young. Both of them refuse to tell Li and I what happened."

Tala hugged Rei and placed a kiss on Rei's forehead. "Don't worry about it. Bry and Kai rarely if ever show their emotions. However, once you earn their respect, they'll go to the ends of the earth to protect you."

Rei pulled out of Tala's arms and picked his book back up to put it back on the shelves. "How did the land issue go?" The redhead shrugged and folded his arms across his chest. "As well as can be expected. Nobles hate giving up anything that they think is their own. They barely listened to me and I'm their Prince."

Nadine appeared at the doorway, wiping flour off her apron. "Dinner is done."

-----

Rei swirled the wine in his goblet, feeling slightly sleepy. Dinner had been quiet and not at all stressful. The silence had not been tense, which Rei had worried about. The conversation had had been inconsequential, mostly dealing with the minor inconveniences that had been springing up between the four lands.

After dinner they had moved to the library, basking in the warmth of the fire. Tala was sitting in an arm chair, a book held in one hand. Rei was sitting in front of him and leaning against his legs, book lying next to him, forgotten. Lei was sprawled on the fur on the floor, dozing. Bryan and Kai were sitting across from each other playing chess.

A quiet "checkmate" broke the silence and Rei looked up to find Bryan frowning at the board, silver eyes blank. Kai had his arms folded across his chest and a slight smirk was curling his lips.

Bryan pushed his chair back and got to his feet. "That was fun but I have a better idea." The slate haired man got up, mahogany eyes burning. "I can see where your thoughts are going." The fire prince noticed Rei's curious look and nodded. "You might as well all come. It promises to be more interesting then just sitting here."

Kai and Bryan left the room, talking softly. Lei got to his feet with a smile, golden eyes reflecting the fire. "Come. This promises to be a great treat. You're going to see something most people don't get to see."

-----

Tala led Rei and Lei down a hallway that Rei was certain hadn't been there last week. It was simple, with no ornamentation then the occasional torch. A door at the end of the hallway was partially open, casting a sliver of light onto the floor. Tala pushed the door open and Rei blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the light.

The room was without windows, floating globes of red and silver producing the only light. The room was entirely padded with a high ceiling. A number of benches rested against one wall. Kai and Bryan's boots sat next to the door, dark color contrasting with the walls. They slipped into the room and moved to the far end, not wanting to get in Kai and Bryan's way.

Tala folded his arms across his chest, a slight smirk curling his lips. "This ought to be interesting." Rei glanced at the redhead, golden eyes questioning. "Why?" Lei joined his brother and Rei eyes fixed on Kai and Bryan. "Because they've both been training since they were young.

Kai stretched, moving with liquid grace. He slipped the knife from the sheath on his thigh, one finger sliding along the blade. A second knife, slightly longer then the first appeared in his right hand. Rei scrutinized the slate haired immortal, unable to find where the second knife had come from.

Lei sank down to the floor and leaned against the wall. "The ten best swordsmen in the mortal realm would be hard pressed to defeat Bry and Kai if they work together." Tala nodded eyes still on Kai. Rei sighed in exasperation, and he threw his hands up. "Fine don't answer any of my questions. See if I care."

Tala wrapped an arm around Rei and pulled him close, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Sorry. Give us a chance to watch these two fight, and we pretty much forget everything else." Rei purred, golden eyes half hooded. "What's so special about them?"

There was a clinking sound as Bryan tossed his sword's scabbard to one side of the room. Runes of power were etched on the black blade, silver glowing in the floating lights of the room. A large grey stone decorated the pommel, silver wires encircling it.

"They're bonded." Rei glanced down at Lei, an eyebrow arched in question. "That doesn't help any Lei. Mortal remember." The dark haired man smiled. "Momentary lapse sorry. When two people of the Immortal realm belong together, they bond. They can somewhat read each other's thoughts and can sense their movements. The bond gets stronger the longer they're together. Bryan and Kai have been together for....." He looked at his brother, hoping that the redhead would remember.

Tala closed his eyes and tugged a bang. "Fifty years I think." Rei was about to ask another question when a clang cut him off. He looked up to find Bryan's sword trapped between the V of Kai's crossed knives, the tip inches from Kai's left eye.

The slate haired man lashed out with one leg, catching Bryan in the stomach. The lavender haired immortal took a forced step back. With a lightning quick movement he dragged his sword free of Kai's trap and whipped it around at waist level. Kai brought one knife down just in time, sparks rising from the meeting of the blades.

The battle continued with unabated fury. It was easy to see their bond in the middle of the fight. Kai or Bryan's blade was always right where it was needed, seconds before a hit. The two immortals moved with fluid grace and complemented each other perfectly.

Rei wasn't entirely sure who made the last move, but before he knew it, the battle was over. Kai was behind Bryan, one blade resting lightly against Bryan's neck, the other resting against his stomach.

Lei got to his feet and clapped, citrine eyes glowing with humor. "Face it Bry, tonight was not you're night." Kai sheathed his knives, mahogany eyes bright. "Lei's right love. The night belongs to me." Bryan retrieved his sheath, silver eyes cunning.

"Only for the moment." Tala smiled and drew Rei close and placed a hand over one of his ears. "Please, young ears are around." The raven haired teen gently smacked the prince in the stomach. "I'm not stupid Tala."

-----

Rei shivered, golden eyes fixed on the full moon. A warm cloak settled over his shoulders and arms wrapped around his waist. Tala pressed a light kiss to the teen's neck. "Any particular reason you're out here without a cloak?" Rei shrugged. "It was stuffy inside and I wasn't planning on being out here to long."

A ghostly figure darted through the trees, followed by two others. Rei shivered when he felt Tala smile against his neck. "Tala?" the redhead pressed another kiss to his neck before pulling back. "Hm?" Rei watched as Driger and Galleon tussled in the snow, sending up huge flurries.

"Does Lei have a significant other?" The prince nodded and rested his chin on Rei's shoulder. "He does, but Liya hates to travel, so she stays at their estate and takes care of the problems. Now come on. I don't want you to freeze."

They made their way back inside, a gentle snow falling in their wake.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: Short chapter. Class is starting again tomorrow but this semester won't be as hectic as last so maybe there will be longer chapters. Enjoy.

* * *

Tala took the cloak from Rei's shoulders and drapped it over a chair, before taking the teen's hand. "Don't worry. I'll deal with the cloak later. Right now I believe the most important thing for me to do is get you to your room before you fall asleep on the floor."

Rei glared at the prince, althought the effect was ruined by the yawn that he couldn't fight. "It's not my fault. Driger dragged me all over the gardens today."

The redhead laughed as he led his companion back through the library where Lei was curled in a chair reading. The Earth Prince looked up from his book long enough to say goodnight before returning to his book.

The manor was quite around them and several mage globes hung throughout the foyer, casting small puddles of white light. "Lei's room is across the hall from yours and…" Tala paused for a moment, a slight smile curling his lips. "Bry and Kai's room is in the other wing. They have a tendancy to get loud sometimes and I don't think any of us want to be woken up at three in the morning."

Tala pushed the door to Rei's room open slightly, his gaze never leaving the teen. Rei's golden eyes seemed to be glowing slight in the darkness and Tala knew that his partner could see perfectly in the dark.

A high shriek pierced the air, followed by a deeper trilling sound. The prince dragged Rei across the room and pushed open the doors that lead to the balcony. An ice-cold wind hit them and then suddenly it warmed to a comfortable temperature. The teen glanced at Tala to see a faint white light surrounding the prince, highlighting his sharp features.

"Look."

Rei found his eyes drawn to the sky where a full moon hung, it's white light highlighting everything around him. Above the trees of the orchard two huge birds were flying around each other, creating intricate patterns.

In the snow below them Driger and Galleon chased each other and the white wolf, kicking up snow flurries.

The teen sidled closer to Tala and smiled when the redhead pulled him closer. "What are they doing?"

Tala pressed a kiss to Rei's forehead before answering. "They draw their energy from the moon. This is just their way of greeting the full moon. They'll calm down around dawn."

He tugged Rei back into his room and closed the doors making sure to lock them. He turned to find the teen staring at the floor toying with the end of his hair. "Is something wrong Rei?"

Glowing golden eyes locked with his. "No. I was just thinking. Is the wolf yours?"

The prince nodded and took a step closer to Rei, intrigued by the teen. "His name is Wolborg. He's been my companion for longer then I can remember."

His hand came up and he gently brushed his hand across Rei's cheek, delighting in the warmth and softness of his skin. He pressed a kiss to the teen's slightly parted lips. "Goodnight Evgren."

Rei watched the Prince leave and continued to stare at the door for long minutes.

* * *

Rei absentmindedly scratched Zev's ears, his gaze focused in the distance. He was brought out of his thoughts by a growl from Driger who was lying against his legs, tail thumping on the ground. He looked over his shoulder to find Lei approching with Galleon on his heels.

Driger got to his feet and dashed towards the woods, the great black lion following. Lei sat down on the bench next to the teen and placed a long cloth wrapped package in Rei's lap. "It's a present from Tala."

The golden eyed teen undid the string and gently pushed the soft fabric back to reveal a bow staff made of a golden wood and inlayed with black tigers. "It's beautiful."

Lei got to his feet. "It is. Tala had it specially made for you after he heard about the attack in my realm. Despite the fact Driger in your guardian it would be best if you had some idea how to defend yourself. With this you don't have to worry about anything getting close to you."

The prince pulled a bowstring from a small pouch on his belt and handed it to the teen before pulling his own box staff from beneath his cloak and fishing another string from his pouch. "First step. How to string the bow."

* * *

Rei slowly flexed his fingers, wincing slightly as he felt the muscles in his hand pull. Lei had kept him at practice for nearly three hours, wanting to make sure that he could string his bow in rush and at least hit the target more then once.

Warm breath ruffled his hair and he rubbed Drigers' paw. He figured it was the least he could do since he was using the tiger as a pillow. With a sigh he picked his book up and continued to read, trying to ignore the pain in his hand.

A slight creak reached him and he looked up, his breath catching in his throat. Bryan was standing in the doorway to the library, silver eyes focused on the teen. The prince stepped into the room and closed the door.

The teen set his book aside and started to stand, hesitant to act as familiar with the silent prince as he did with Tala and Lei. He was nearly to his feet when Bryan spoke, his voice faintly accented. "There's no need to stand. As Tala's consort you are the same rank as I. What tribe are you from?"

Rei stared at the silver prince, confusion evident in his eyes. "I'm not from any tribe. I lived in the small shack just on the border to the Mortal realms. I've never been here before."

Bryan slowly nodded, his eyes hooded. "I see. Is your hand bothering you? It looks stiff."

"A little how do you know." The teen leaned harder against Driger, suddnely feeling wary of the prince.

The lavender haired man smirked slightly. "Falborg told me that Lei had you out there with a bow. Remember he's my brother. I know how anal he can be about stuff like that." His sharp eyes seemed to haze over slightly before regaining their pentrating power.

The door flew open and Kai strode into the room mahogany eyes focused on Bryan. "What?"

Bryan montioned to Rei, eyes calm. "Lei had him out with a bow and didn't take into consideration the fact he's never spent any time using a bow. He's pulled the muscles in his hands. And you're the only one that can do anything about it."

Without a word Kai dropped to his knee in front of Rei and took his hand. A red glow surrounded their touching hands and the teen felt a stinging warmth flow through his hand. The sensation abrubtly ended and the prince stood fingering a sliver bracelet that encircled his wrist. "If it stiffens later on let me know." He strode out of the room, not looking back.

Bryan shook his head and followed his partner out the door. Rei picked his book up and continued to read.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A/N: Another short chapter, but this one actually gets things moving along. Hopefully it won't be so long before I update this story again.

* * *

Rei woke that morning to the sound of something scratching on his door. He rolled out of his bed and pulled a heavy black wool robe that was decorated with gold thread and hurried across his room. The moment the door was part way open Driger slipped into the room, tail lashing the air uneasily. 

The neko-jin knelt in front of the tiger, fingers stroking through the tiger's thick white and green fur. "Driger, what's wrong?"

The tiger whuffed once in frustration before grabbing the tie on Rei's robe in his teeth and pulling the teenager out of his room and down the hall. They stopped outside a dark wooden door that had a wolf howling at the moon carved on the door. Driger pawed at the door and butted his head against the wood.

Rei stared at the door for several minutes before slowly opening it, one hand clenched in the animal's fur. They slipped into the dark room and Rei stopped for a moment, allowing his vision adjust to the darkness. The room was a disaster. The wardrobe that stood between the two windows was lying on its side, clothing strewn across the floor. The bedding was ripped to pieces and the white sheets were stained with blood, the coppery tang hanging in the still air. Tala was no where to be seen

The neko-jin slid on to Driger's back and leaned down to whisper in the great tiger's ear. "Go to Lei." The tiger bolted out of the room and down a flight of stairs to a door carved with a lion surrounded by lighting. Rei jumped off the tiger's back and pushed the door open.

Galleon was sprawled out on the floor at the end of the bed, his massive chest rising and falling in a regular rhythm. Lei was curled in the middle of the bed, dark hair spread out over his pillow. Rei knelt next to the other neko-jin and shook him. "Lei, wake up. Something is not right. Tala is gone."

The Earth Lord didn't move and Rei bit back a growl of frustration. He was starting to get the feeling that there was some kind of weird magic surrounding them. Lei and Galleon should have woken up the instant he entered the room.

A roar of pain filled the room and Rei whirled around to find Galleon on his feet, his tail hanging from Driger's mouth. The tiger dropped the other cat's tail and seemed to shrug as he turned emerald eyes on Rei. Galleon padded to the side of bed and nudged Lei. The neko-jin sat up, golden eyes wide with shock. He rubbed at his temple, brown mist surrounding his fingers. With a soft sigh he relaxed slightly, eyes going to the teenager. "Rei, why are you here?"

Rei leaned back on his heels, one hand twisting in the thick fabric of his robe. "Driger woke me up and dragged me down to Tala's room. The room is ripped up and he's not there. And there's blood on the sheets."

Lei stared at him for several minutes before jumping out of the bed to pull on a long sleeved shirt. He grabbed his knife from where it rested on his bedside table. "Come on. We need to go to Kai and Bryan."

Rei followed Lei down the hall and to the other side of the manor, the great cats only steps behind them. The door they stopped before was made of a silver, nearly white wood. The right half of the door was carved with a phoenix surrounded by flames while the other half had a falcon surrounded by tornadoes on it.

The older neko-jin threw the doors open, brown mist creeping along the floor to surround the two figures on the bed. Bryan sat up, hand going to the dagger under his pillow. "Lei, what the hell is going on?"

Kai slowly sat up, mahogany eyes flaring slightly as the candles in the room sprang to life, casting warm golden light over the room. "There better be a good reason we're awake."

Lei stepped further into the room, golden eyes focusing on his brother. "Kai, calm down. If I hadn't come in here you wouldn't have been waking up any time soon. Tala's gone."

The Fire Lord slid out of the bed and stalked over to the doors that lead to the balcony. He threw the doors open and stepped outside, into the ankle deep snow; clad in nothing but the loose black pants he'd been sleeping in. Red flames surrounded him, melting the snow around him. With an odd trilling sound the giant phoenix landed on the railing, followed by the silver falcon.

Kai whispered something to the two birds before they again took to the sky. He stepped back into the room, eyes going to Bryan. "Falborg has to lead him the rest of the way. The Witch has barred Dranzer from her realm. He said something about making off with some of her more important spell ingredients."

Bryan nodded before he too slipped out of the bed. "I figured as much." His silver eyes went to Rei, who was still standing just outside of the room, looking completely lost. "Should we tell him, or let Tala explain everything?"

Lei shrugged. "It would probably be better to tell him some of it. Like why his mate has disappeared when he was here last night. I'll take him down to the library and get him settled in. You two come down when you figure out what we're going to do."

* * *

Rei stared up at Lei, feeling like he was in the way. The older neko-jin had tucked him into one of the huge armchairs in the library before kneeling down to talk to Driger and Galleon that had followed them. The two immortal cats looked at each other before leaving the room, off on some mission. 

Lei settled onto the couch across from Rei, his knife still held in one hand. Minutes later Kai and Bryan entered the room, conversing silently. A fire sprang to life in the fire place as the two other Lords settled on the couch next to Lei. Kai was still shirtless and seemed completely comfortable in the slight chill of the library. Bryan was wearing a silver robe that hung open, revealing a tattoo on the arch of his hip of a crescent moon with a falcon's wing wrapped around it.

They sat in silence for several minutes before Lei finally spoke up, knowing that Kai and Bryan would never willing start the conversation. "Rei, I'm going to come out and say that we haven't been completely honest with you. You are actually from this Plane and are the Prince of the Spirit Plane."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: Hopefully this chapter is going to help so that the story finally gets going like I want it too. I hope you all enjoy it.

* * *

Rei stared at the three Princes, trying to comprehend what Lei had just said. "You can't be serious! I've lived in the mortal realms my entire life. I can remember when Aine was born!"

Lei gazed at Kai and Bryan out of the corner of his eye. "Would one of you explain it? You know I'm not very good with the technical aspect of our Immortality."

Kai leaned forward, elbows resting on his thighs. "We are not true Immortals. While we will not die of old age or sickness, we can be killed, with poison or by weapons or other freak accidents. For some reason we age slower in the Mortal Realms. Bryan took you over when you were three. How old do you think you are?"

The neko-jin stared at the Fire Prince, unable to pull his eyes away from the mahogany eyes. "My mother always told me I was seventeen."

Bryan snorted in disgust as he ran a hand through his hair. "That woman would have said that. If I had known she would become so stupid I would have taken you to another family. Yes, technically in the world of the Mortals you are only seventeen, but you are actually twenty-two."

Here, Lei took up the story. "However, it is not up to us to reveal anymore of your circumstances to you. Everything else must come from Tala."

When Rei opened his mouth to protest Kai stopped him with a deadly glare. "Ask for no more Spirit, for no more must be revealed, lest the Prophecy be ruined. The last bit of knowledge we can tell you is that Driger is your bonded Guardian, just as Dranzer is mine. He will do his best to guide and protect you, and will help you in your moment of greatest need. Also, no one but he and Wolborg, Tala's Guardian may accompany you."

Bryan got to his feet and crossed the library to rest his long fingers against Rei's temple. "You must sleep now." Rei's eyes slowly slid shut as the Wind Prince's magic surrounded him in a shimmering fog.

The silver haired man easily picked up the sleeping neko-jin and carried him out of the library, his brothers in step with him. "I was expecting him to have a breakdown when you told him he was actually from this Plane."

Lei smiled. "You only wanted that because you would have found it amusing. And he needed to know. He couldn't just go off to face the Enchantress without knowing what he was. He would have fallen under her thrall and we never would have gotten Tala back. We need both of them if we hope to finally do away with her."

Kai pushed open the door to Rei's room and Bryan set him down before drawing the blanket over him. "Come. We have a lot to do before daylight breaks, when he must leave. After that, we are not allowed to help him."

* * *

The first thing that greeted Rei when he opened his eyes was the sight of Driger and Wolborg sitting at the edge of his bed, muzzles resting on his bed as they watched him with calm eyes. He slowly sat up, feeling slightly dizzy and more then a little confused.

He didn't really want to believe what Tala's brothers had told him, but he realized that they didn't have any reason to lie to him. They weren't gaining anything from telling him who he really was.

With a soft sigh he turned his gaze to the two animals, who hadn't moved since he'd woken. "Okay, since you two are some kind of magical Guardians that are supposed to help me, what the hell am I supposed to do?"

Wolborg raised his head off of its resting place and bent his neck to grab the scroll that was lying at his feet. He gently set it on the bed before returning to his previous position.

The neko-jin picked up the scroll and broke the wax seal, golden eyes quickly scanning the quick note.

_Rei, _

_Kai, Bryan and I can have no further contact with you other then through this note until you locate Tala. However, there is nothing keeping our Guardians from helping you, or us leaving you several presents. Use them well._

_Luck,_

_Lei_

Rei slipped out of the bed and quickly dressed before heading downstairs, Driger and Wolborg following him. Piled in the middle of the foyer was a pile of equipment that the three brothers had prepared for him. Sitting on the top of the pile was a small cloth sack, decorated with a wolf.

He carefully picked the bag up, several metallic items clinking together in the bag. Untying the drawstring on the bag he slowly reached into the bag, fingers closing around a small, cool metallic ring. Pulling his hand from the bag revealed a silver ring set with a large black stone that was shot through with gold streaks. The band of the ring was etched to look like falcon wings. The moment he slipped the ring onto his finger it tingled with magical energy, sending a shiver through his body.

Knowing that the ring was from Bryan he had to smile. It figured the silver haired man would put such a strong enchantment on such a simple piece of jewelry. Smiling slightly the neko-jin reached back into the bag and pulled out a knife that was slightly shorter then his forearm. The scabbard was made of supple black leather and decorated with a golden tiger. The handle was wrapped with rough leather to provide a grip and the pommel of the blade matched the stone on the ring.

He carefully set the blade aside and reached into the bag for the third time and pulled out a large silver flask from the bag. The sound of liquid sloshing inside the container caught his attention and he pulled out the stopper, curiosity getting the better of him. A strong, bitter scent wafted out of the bottle, causing the neko-jin to wrinkle his nose in disgust. He quickly closed the bottle and sneezed, trying to get the scent out of his nose. "That's gross. Maybe Lei thinks it will keep animals off my trail."

Rei undid his belt and slid the knife on, making sure there was nothing blocking his way to the handle. He set the flask aside and delved into the pile of equipment, sorting everything into piles. At the bottom was a dark blue harness edged in silver. He picked it up and shook it out before turning to look at Wolborg who was lying several feet away, watching him. "I take it this is yours?"

The huge wolf got to his feet and padded over to the neko-jin. He waited patiently as Rei slid the harness on and fastened it in place before giving himself a brisk shake, getting his fur to lie flat. Sighing softly he continued to stand still as the Rei quickly fastened all of the equipment to the harness. The last thing to be packed was the flask filled with vile smelling liquid from Lei.

Wolborg slumped back to the floor, eyes closed. Rei shook his head at the wolf and turned around to find Driger standing behind him with his own harness and several cloaks draped over his back and was carefully carrying Rei's bow and quiver of arrows in his mouth.

Rei laughed and took the bow and quiver from the tiger. "I'm glad you decided to help." He set the weapon aside and was about to take the cloaks and harness off Driger's back when the Guardian shook himself, sending the equipment flying to the floor. At the look Rei gave him he simply shrugged and stood still while Rei put the harness on him.

The neko-jin slipped the bow into the sheath built into Driger's harness and tied the strap of the quiver over a projection on the leather making sure he could get to the arrows if something attacked them. He wrapped the cloaks around his shoulders and climbed onto Driger's back.

With a soft sigh he drew the warming stone from his belt pouch, feeling the warmth seep into his skin. He cast a look back at Wolborg and the great wolf got to his feet, shaking to settle his fur against the cold that was outside.

Driger pushed the door open, head bent against the wind that was howling around the manor. Without Tala at the manor the weather had taken a turn for the worst, the chill in the air biting into even the Guardians. Rei settled deeper into the cloaks he was wrapped in and tucked the heat stone against his chest, wincing when the heat sank into his already chilled skin. He sighed deeply free hand tangling into Driger's fur.

Wolborg moved in front of Driger, breaking a trail through the snow and providing a wind block for Rei. Slowly the three headed of the manor grounds and out of the valley.

* * *

Tala crept closer to the cell door, staying within the shadows. He knew that if he managed to surprise his guards he'd be able to get away from them and hide. The Enchantress didn't use the smartest guards in the world and knowing her, she probably figured he wouldn't try to escape since she had cut him off from his magic. However, the woman ha no idea what it had been like to grow up with Bryan and Kai. He and Lei had quickly learned to defend themselves and each other from the other two.

The sound of the door creaking open pulled him from his thoughts and he tensed, ready to make his escape attempt. The door swung further open and a sudden wave of weakness swept over him, causing him to collapse to the ground, breath coming in ragged gaps as the muscles of his diaphragm weakened under the spell.

The Enchantress stepped into the room, flanked by two of her little toad-like minions. Smiling at the fallen Prince she moved to stand over him, the hem of her robe brushing against him. "Tala, I must say, I never thought you would be stupid enough to try and take my Consort from me. I know you knew he was mine."

The redhead rolled onto his side, doing his best to ignore the fact he could barely breathe. "He was never actually yours. You just wanted him because he can strip your power from you. The Prophecy implicitly stated that Spirit and Ice would combine and with the help of Earth, Wind and Fire. It's time for your reign to come to an end."

The woman laughed and pulled a small vial out of the sleeve, a bright violet liquid swishing in the small bottle. "We'll see about that."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I've had most of this chapter written for awhile but I've been caught up working on my Original stories so that's why it took so long to get this chapter done. I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

* * *

Rei burrowed deeper into his sleeping bag, not ready to get out of what little warmth he had managed to build up in his sleep. Despite the fact they were three days from Tala's manor the cold hadn't let up and if anything had become even more bone chilling. Every night when they stopped Driger and Wolborg would dig a small shelter out in the snow and the three would sleep together, keeping each other warm.

Luckily, Wolborg didn't smell like a wet dog when his fur was wet or else the close conditions would be less then pleasant. Driger shifted in his sleep and pressed Rei closer to Wolborg.

The wolf however, was having none of it. Huffing in frustration he got to his feet and slipped out of the shelter. The temperature of the snow cave dropped significantly, causing Rei to shiver even through all the layers of fabric that covered him. Sighing he wiggled out of his sleeping bag and gently nudged Driger. "Come on. I think Wolborg wants to get moving."

The tiger got to his feet and shook himself, snow flying everywhere. After shooting a disgruntled look at Wolborg who was sitting across the clearing he stalked into the woods searching for something to eat.

Rei shook his head at Driger's attitude and sat down on a snow covered stump, dragging Wolborg's harness to his feet. He pulled a cloth wrapped bar from one of the bags and unwrapped it. The bar was made of nuts, fruit and oats combined with honey. While they were actually quite tasty he was tired of eating them. However, he was not willing to take the time to build a fire to cook so it was the bars or nothing.

He broke off an a piece and stared at it for several seconds before popping it in his mouth. Wolborg came over from where he was sitting and dropped into the snow at Rei's feet, kicking up a small snow flurry. "I can't believe the two of you are so crabby." Ignoring the look Wolborg gave him Rei scratched the wolf's ears, smiling when the great animal arched into his touch.

Ten minutes later Driger returned, licking the last of his meal off his whiskers. Wolborg got up and disappeared into the underbrush. Rei was about to get up and get the tiger's harness when Driger collapsed at his feet.

The neko-jin rolled his eyes as he stroked Driger's back. "I really wish you two would stop acting like siblings. You're making this trip harder then it already is." He continued to run his fingers through the tiger's fur, trying not to think of anything. He found the more he thought about everything that had happened since coming to live with Tala. The less he thought about his time at the mansion the better he could focus on getting Tala back.

Wolborg returned several minutes later, tongue lolling out of his mouth and seemingly in a better mood then when he had left. He ran around Rei and Driger kicking up snow and yipping, much like a happy puppy. Shaking his head at the usually dignified wolf's antics, Rei got up and grabbed his harness, shaking it to remove the snow. "Come here. I can tell you want to get moving."

The wolf finally stopped and allowed Rei to put his harness on before sticking his nose against Rei's cheek, his grin returning full force when the neko-jin yelped at the cold wetness. He danced away from Rei, his harness clinking lightly.

Rei glared at the wolf even as he slipped Driger's harness on, making sure all of the straps were tight enough to prevent slippage but not so tight that they cut into the tiger's flesh. Keeping one eye on Wolborg, not trusting him to do something he climbed onto Driger's back and wrapped his cloak tight as they started back on the trail.

* * *

Nestled in the valley was a small village, the lights from the windows spilling onto the snow that coated the ground. Rei pulled his hood back up and hunkered further into his cloaks, certain that he was never going to feel his hands or feet again. He leaned closer to Driger and they started forward again, Wolborg in front of them to break a path through the deep snow.

The sudden cessation of motion pulled Rei from the light doze he'd entered. He looked up to find them in front of a two story stone building. Light was pouring out of the windows and he could smell something cooking. He slipped off Driger's back and slipped slightly, landing against the door.

Before he could stand up the door was pulled open and he landed in someone's arms. "MAX! Get some hot water." The owner of the voice pulled him closer and Rei's arms unconsciously went around his savior, burrowing into his warmth. "I can see why Tala chose you."

At Tala's name Rei pulled back and found himself looking in bright navy eyes. "How do you know Tala?" He could barely focus on anything beyond the pain prickling his hands and fingers as feeling slowly returned to them.

"Don't worry about how I know Tala. Let's focus on getting out warm first." Before he could react he found himself swept into his benefactor's arms and carried up the stairs. With startling gentleness he was settled into a large bed. Strong fingers stripped his cloak and boots off before drawing thick blankets up. The bed dipped slightly and warm fur brushed by his fingers. "Rest."

The neko-jin slowly drifted to sleep.

* * *

Rei slowly sat up, feeling disorientated. Nothing in the room was familiar and none of it gave him any hint to where he was. Driger and Wolborg's harnesses were sitting in the corner of the room so he knew his guardians were close by. Sighing he crawled out from under the heavy blankets.

A pair of slippers was on the floor by his feet and he slipped them on and carefully got up, feeling slightly lightheaded. Shuffling across the floor he rested his ear against the door, checking to see if anyone was around. He could barely make out the sounds of quiet talking coming from down the stairs.

When he pulled back from the door he noticed a note that had been pinned there. The writing was blocky and slanted.

_**Feel free to come downstairs when you wake. There will be food and please put on the robe. You've been exposed to the cold for to long.**_

The neko-jin smiled slightly and turned to find a thick wool robe dyed a deep red. He slipped the robe on and tied the sash tight before carefully opening the door and slipping into the hallway. At the top of the stairs he was swamped by a wave of vertigo and he closed his eyes, fighting down a wave of nausea.

A warm wet nose brushed his hand and he slowly opened his eyes to find Wolborg staring at him, head cocked to one side. The neko-jin smiled and sunk his fingers into the thick fur on the wolf's ruff. "I'm okay. Just a little dizzy." Pale blue eyes watched him for several seconds before Wolborg slowly started down the stairs, making sure Rei was close.

At the bottom of the stairs Rei was forced to stop, another wave of dizziness threatening to overwhelm him. A warm hand settled on his shoulder and he jerked, back slightly eyes meeting the same navy eyes of his savior from the night before. "Who are you?"

The man in front of him was tall and lean with long navy hair pulled back into a low tail and bright eyes that danced with happiness. "I'm Tyson and we've been expecting you." When Rei made to ask another question Tyson shook his head. "You don't get to ask anymore questions until you eat something warm. After that you can ask all the questions you want and we'll do our best to answer them."

Feeling slightly angry at Tyson for treating him like a child Rei none the less allowed the taller man to lead him to a chair and drape a blanket over him. He was barely seated when a blonde with bright blue eyes came out of the kitchen with a tray. Before he had a chance to ask his name the tray was set on the table next to him and the blonde disappeared again, this time upstairs where Tyson had vanished too not long ago.

The smell of warm food reached his nose and Rei turned to survey the tray, surprised at what he saw. There was a bowl of oatmeal that had honey and cream in it, making it look tastier then most of the oatmeal he'd had to eat back in the Mortal Plain. There was also a cup of tea that was gently steaming and a bowl of fresh fruit salad.

With a long sigh Rei started eating, knowing the sooner he was done the sooner he'd be able to get some questions answered. The moment he'd eaten the last spoonful of oatmeal the blonde had appeared again to whisk the tray away before returning with a second tray, this one with a pot of tea and four cups. "Sorry to not say anything to you but Tyson was adamant that you eat something before we talked. I'm Max and if you'll follow me we'll try to get you straightened out because I'm sure Kai and Bryan didn't explain things very well."

Rei got out of the chair and followed Max down the hall to a small rectangular room with a small fireplace against the far wall. A tortoise was on the left side of the fireplace, happily eating a bunch of lettuce. A small blue firedrake was curled on top of the tortoise, asleep. Driger was stretched out on the other side, golden eyes half open as he watched the room. Wolborg was under the table happily gnawing on a huge bone and a plump orange cat was sprawled on the mantle, green eyes fixed on Wolborg.

Tyson was seated at the table with another man who was rapidly flipping through a huge book, his focus completely on it. Max set the tray on the table and took a seat next to Tyson. Rei settled into the seat between Max and the other man, drawing his robe closer.

"Kenny, would you mind leaving the book alone for the moment. Rei has questions and you'll probably be able to answer them better than Max and I will be able to." When Kenny didn't respond Tyson grabbed the book from in front of him and closed it. "Kenny, focus."

Kenny pushed his glasses higher on his nose. "Fine. You didn't have to be a brute and take my book away." He turned his attention to Rei, a slight smile curling his lips. "Ah, finally you've returned. Tala was starting to get frantic."

Rei frowned. "How do you know Tala? That's the first question I want answered."

Tyson poured everyone a cup of tea and added several spoons of sugar to his, stirring as he talked. "We were raised with them. The three of us, along with our Guardians are their Eisteddfod. We act as a barrier between them and their magic. Despite the fact they are Elemental Princes their bodies cannot withstand the constant pull their Elements exert against them."

"We serve as a siphon for them. Some of their magic trickles to us, keeping them from being destroyed or driven mad by their power. Without us, they would never have lived this long. We are bound to them through their magic. Once you have saved Tala, we will be bound to you as we are to them."

Kenny pushed his glasses up again as he sipped at his tea. "We're like symbionts. We keep them from going insane and in return we can use small amounts of the magic we drain from them for our own use. That's why we get fresh vegetables throughout the year."

Rei stared at the three men, trying to wrap his mind around what they'd just said. Just when he'd started to come to terms with what Lei, Bryan and Kai had told him more information had been dumped on him and he was having problems trying to connect all of it. "How did you know I was coming? You seemed rather prepared for an unexpected visitor?"

Tyson smiled. "Dragoon, would you bring me the charm please?"

The firedrake slowly uncoiled from the tortoise's back and stretched his wings before slithering off its back to waddle across the room and climb up Tyson's leg and jump from there to the table. A leather thong was wrapped around the base of his neck, something hanging from it. Tyson untied the thong and passed it to Rei.

The neko-jin stared at the charm, trying to figure out where it had come from. It was a piece of white marble that had been carved in the shape of a sitting tiger and inlaid with small citrines for the eyes and onyx stripes. Gently rubbing his thumb over the stripes it came to him where he had seen the small charm before.

He remembered when he'd first met Kai and Bryan that Bryan had given a small trinket to Falborg who had flown off to the east. "Bryan sent you this didn't he?"

Max nodded, one hand stoking Dragoon's tail. "He did. It was imbued with some of your magic and it resonated. The louder the resonation the closer you were. It nearly jumped off the shelf last night when you first got here."

Rei continued to stroke the charm, eyes fixed on it. "But that doesn't explain how they knew I was going to come through this village. I mean, there have to be hundreds of other ways to get to the Enchantress."

Kenny took his book back from Tyson and flipped it open. "There are, but we knew you would come this way. Kai sees things in the fire. Usually they are nothing more than things from the past, from their childhood. However, this time there was no doubt it was the future. He saw what would happen should you fail to defeat the Enchantress or turn to her side."

"However, there really isn't any more we can tell you. Like the others we are forbidden from telling you any more. To hear the rest of the story and the prophecy you must find Tala. The Enchantress' fortress lies deep in the forest of Valerin. On the border of the forest you will find a small cave. There, you must use some of the potion Lei made for you to summon the Guardian of the Fang. He holds the key to your success."

The room fell into silence, each person caught up in their own thoughts. Rei's gaze drifted from the charm in his hand to the ring on his finger from Bryan. The stone seemed to be glowing slightly. "What about this ring? I can tell there is a spell on it I'm just not sure what it is."

Max leaned forward and touched one finger to it, eyes going hazy. He pulled away, smiling brightly. "It's a circle of protection. As long as you wear it the Enchantress can't scry for your presence. Leave it to Bryan to create a spell just to upset her."

Tyson stood, Dragoon perched on his shoulder, tail curled around his neck. "Enough of this. We need to get Rei new supplies and Kenny needs to do a little more research.

* * *

Rei ended up spending several days with the three men, helping them get everything he would need and enjoying the warmth of their small house. When the morning of the fifth day dawned, all Hell broke loose. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own the Guardian of the Fang and _Chrysoprase._

A/N: Another horrifically long update period. This is the second to last chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

----

Tyson stroked a finger down Dragoon's neck, smiling when the small drake curled into a tighter ball. It was still early, the sun painting the very tops of the mountains fog still obscuring the valley. He'd left Max in their room, the blonde warm and asleep in the bed. They'd been up late getting everything ready for Rei's departure later that morning and his partner had been going harder than anyone.

He picked a small piece of meat off the table next to him and fed it to Dragoon, gaze fastened on the fire. Early mornings were his favorite time of the day. He was always up before Kenny and Max and made breakfast and left it near the stove to warm before settling into the big chair in front of the fire.

A warm hand settled on his neck and his head dropped forward as Max's fingers stroked his spine. "I thought you were still asleep."

"I was until you left the bed." Max slid his fingers under the neck of Tyson's shirt, warming his fingers against the navy haired man's skin. "That and I wanted to make sure Rei has everything he needs. This is going to be the longest part of his journey."

Before Tyson could reply Kenny burst into the house, his cat right behind him. "Tyson, they're almost here! Rei has to leave now."

Max caught the smaller man as he tripped on the carpet. "Who is Kenny?"

"The Enchantress' minions. They'll be here soon and if they capture him everything is going to collapse." Kenny shook the blonde's arms off him and straightened up.

Tyson shot to his feet, ignoring the indignant squawk from Dragoon. "Crap. Max, get Wolborg and Driger harnessed, I'm going to go get Rei ready. Dragoon, Draciel, Dizzy go distract them."

He took the stairs two at a time, Max following close behind. Not taking the time to knock they burst into the room. Wolborg and Driger were already on their feet and Rei was staring at them from the bed with sleep clouded eyes.

Tyson pulled the neko-jin out of the bed and stripped his nightshirt off before grabbing a sleeveless tunic off the chair. "Don't question. Some how the Enchantress found out you're here and her minions are on her way. You have to leave now."

His words galvanized the smaller man to action and he stripped and redressed faster then Tyson had ever seen anyone move. He had just finished braiding his hair when Max tightened the last strap on Driger's harness.

The five of them ran back downstairs and out the front door into the street. Dragoon, Draciel and Dizzy were standing at the corner of the house, staring towards the center of town tension radiating out of them. Wolborg had his muzzle buried in the snow and was casting around, his fur bristling. Driger was staring at the forest, tail swishing back and forth in agitation.

Tyson grabbed Rei. "Remember to find the Guardian of the Fang the moment you get to Valerin. Without what he has to offer the Enchantress will make you her slave. And no matter what you may hear, do not look and don't even think about coming back to help." He picked the neko-jin up and practically tossed him on Driger. Rei was forced to make a mad grab for the harness when both Driger and Wolborg started running, heading for the forest.

A strange keening sound filled the air, slowly rising in pitch, causing the hairs on the back of Rei's neck to stand despite the fact they were rapidly leaving the small village behind. They crossed into the forest and the sound stopped just as suddenly as it had started.

-----

Driger stopped and Rei slid off the tiger's back loosening his cloak as he did. Tyson, Max and Kenny were several hours behind them and he could only hope that they hadn't been hurt. He knew that the three men were in tune with the Princes' powers and could use them but the thought did nothing to crush the guilt he felt.

He rolled his cloak up and fastened it to Driger's harness before unlacing the neck of his tunic. "I don't suppose either of you know where we're going because there isn't a map anywhere."

The two animals shared a look before Wolborg whuffed in acknowledgment. He moved to stand in front of two huge upright boulders. With a low growl he started digging at the bottom of the bushes between the stones, kicking back wet dirt with vicious movements of his paws. Within seconds the bushes were gone, torn out of the ground by the wolf.

With a glance over his shoulder Wolborg bounded down the path, leaving Rei to scramble onto Driger's back before the tiger could move. The moment Driger crossed on to the path the sounds of the forest died around them and even the steady cadence of Driger's feet on the ground was missing, giving the impression that they were floating above the dirt path.

Rei lost track of how long they had been moving. The sun seemed to have crossed the sky nearly thirteen times by his count although there was a chance he had miscounted simply because he'd never seen the moon. Driger was still running, faster then a normal animal and Wolborg was a white streak ahead of them, the distance between the wolf and tiger never changing.

As abruptly as their journey had started it came to an end, in a small clearing. A large stone was embedded in the loam in the center of the clearing, a hollow carved in the center. Rei slid off of Driger's back and dug through the packs until he located the flask he had received from Lei. He uncorked the bottle the poured a small amount of the thick brown liquid into the hollow, nose wrinkling when the fumes reached his nose. He drew back slightly, not knowing what was going to happen but with everything he'd seen as of late he decided it was better to be safe.

After several minutes with nothing but the wind ruffling the tree leaves he turned to look at Driger and Wolborg who were sitting several feet from the rock, watching him with intent eyes. "You two knew how to get here. I suppose it's too much to ask that you know how to summon the Guardian?"

The two animals exchanged a look before a deep, throaty voice seemed to echo through his mind. _Blood._

With a sigh Rei took the knife from its scabbard and pressed it to the ball of his thumb, the keen blade slicing into his skin with ease. A drop of blood welled out of the cut, bright red against his thumb. For a moment the droplet clung to his skin before it succumbed to gravity, falling into the hollow.

The moment the blood touched the brown liquid a reedy, pulsing sound filled the air and the wind picked up whipping the trees around. The sky blacked for a moment before everything fell deathly silent. Rei's grip on the knife tightened and he took a step back as the air in front of him shimmered before resolving into a figure.

The man in front of him was huge, easily topping seven feet. He was covered in muscle and was wearing nothing more then a black loincloth. His hair was varying shades of grey and pulled back in a knot at the base of his neck to revel sharp features and feral green eyes. "I am the Guardian of the Claw. Speak."

Rei resheathed his knife and stepped forward. "I was told you had what I needed to defeat the Enchantress."

The Guardian looked startled, eyes darting from the neko-jin to Wolborg and Driger who were watching the entire encounter and back to Rei. "Finally it has happened." He bowed to the guardians. "I welcome you Spirit and Ice, but you know five must be present before I can hand over _Chrysoprase._"

Before Rei could answer Galleon appeared by Driger, golden eyes fixed on the Guardian. Dranzer and Falborg each landed on a tree, bowing the branches slightly under their weight. "Fire, Wind, Earth. You are welcomed here." His eyes went back to Rei, who was surprised to see the other three guardians. Evidently the Princes hadn't been lying when they'd mentioned the prophecy.

"And the Prince on whom the fate of the entire Immortal Realms rests on. Only the one who swears on blood may take _Chrysoprase. _Will you give yourself to it? By accepting _Chrysoprase _you remain bound to it until death."

Rei fought the urge to turn and look at the five guardians, knowing he had to make the decision on his own. Part of him found it impossible to believe the Enchantress was as horrible as everyone was making her out to be, but a larger part of him wondered why she had felt the need to kidnap Tala.

Taking a deep breath he stepped forward, golden eyes meeting the Guardian's. "I will."

A predatory smirk twisted the Guardian's lips and before the neko-jin could he found himself pinned against the muscled body. An unbearably warm hand pulled aside the neck of his tunic and sharp fangs pierced his shoulder, drawing a short scream from him.

Warmth pooled at the wounds and Rei found himself relaxing against the Guardian as the sharp pain faded away. He whimpered when the Guardian pulled away, leaving him feeling empty and alone.

The Guardian wiped the blood from his lips, humming low in his chest. "Bound to _Chrysoprase _you are. Accepted your sacrifice on the Magic's behalf I have." He turned to the five guardians, eyes glowing. "Return to your wards and tell them the Realms shall be saved."

As suddenly as Galleon, Dranzer and Falborg had arrived they were gone, leaving Rei alone with Driger, Wolborg and the Guardian. With tentative fingers Rei raised his hand to the spot where the Guardian had bit him, expecting to find blood. He was surprised when his fingers brushed over scarred flesh. "How?"

"The Magic heals those it binds to." The Guardian held his hand out to Rei, palm up with the fingers closed. "I present you with _Chrysoprase_, the only thing that can destroy the Enchantress' power."

He opened his hand and Rei gasped in shock. A long crystal rested in the massive hand, one end bound in thick black leather. It was vaguely knife shaped with the bound end serving as a handle but that's where the similarity ended. Instead of a single blade the other end had been left raw and ragged, reminding him of a cliff face.

"Remember the Enchantress must never get her hands on _Chrysoprase. _Itis made of raw Elemental Magic and her touch will break the Magic." The Guardian glanced at the sky before thrusting the blade into Rei's hands. "The Enchantress' tower is close. You must get there before the eclipse or her tower will be impossible to find for the next three days and I fear the Ice Prince is running out of time."

Rei tucked _Chrysoprase_ up the sleeve off his shirt, holding it in place with several pieces of extra leather straps from Driger's harness. He climbed on to the tiger's back, hands tangling in the straps. "What if I can't get to the tower in time?"

The Guardian shrugged as he started to fade away. "I cannot say what the Enchantress might do to Tala, but I will use all of my power to bend the forest so your trip is as quick as possible. For this to work all five Princes need to be bonded to the Magic and the Enchantress knows this. She took Tala because of your attachment to him. Good luck."

The neko-jin leaned low over Driger's back and with the sound of feet on ground the three of them were gone, heading east.

-----

Rei had no problems sneaking into the Enchantress' tower. It seemed even in her domain she relied more on seeing spells then on living things and Bryan's ring protected him despite the fact he was probably only feet from her. He glanced towards the stairs at the end of the small room he was that lead upwards, quickly disappearing into darkness as they rose.

A small door was to his left and without thinking he headed for it, knife held tightly in one hand. To his utter surprise the door was unlocked and behind it were stairs that led down. Casting one last look over his shoulder he carefully stepped into the darkness, silently praising his heritage. The stairs were pitch black and he would have broken his neck if not for being a neko-jin.

At the bottom of the stairs was a second door, also closed. He stopped for a moment, ear pressed to the door. When nothing reached him he slowly pushed the door open. This hallway was short, with one last doorway at the end. With the door open he could make out the faint sound of breathing and he had no doubt who was behind the metal door at the end of the hall.

With lightning speed he dashed down the short hallway and unlocked the door. Without warning it swung outward and he found himself pressed against the wall, head held against the wall with a strong hand on the back of his neck. "Tell your mistress I've had enough."

Rei's eyes widened in shock at the sound of Tala's voice, harsh with disuse. "Tala it's me."

He was whirled around and pulled against a warm lean body. Hot breath puffed against his neck. "Gods Rei, I never thought I was going to see you again."

Ignoring how good it felt to be touching the redhead again Rei pulled away from the Prince, golden eyes sweeping over the other male. Dark smudges underlined the icy blue eyes and a bruise graced the pointed chin. Long scratches trailed down his left arm and he looked a little thin but in the end he didn't look as bad as Rei had been expecting. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Tala scrubbed a hand over his face, wincing slightly when he touched the bruise. "Mostly to make sure you and Driger would bond. We feared taking you away from him when you were so young would inhibit the growth of your bond but we quickly realized that we didn't have to worry. I was going to tell you the next day and we were going to bond you to us and the land but the Enchantress made her move sooner then we had anticipated."

"And what about this Prophecy I've heard so much about?"

The Prince shot a glance at the open door before he looked back at the neko-jin. "There's actually a long story before we even get to the Prophecy. Nearly a thousand years ago a Death Priestess realized that by using the energies released at death she could increase her powers. She left her temple and turned to Blood Magic. Blood Magic is not normal and every time it is used it destroys the flow of nature and of all other Magic."

"Part of our charge when we became the Elemental Princes was to find a way to destroy the Enchantress. She found out about our plans and used her magic to curse me. From dusk to dawn I would live as a man but from dawn to dusk I was doomed to run as a pack. Luckily Wolborg and Firn were there to stay with me."

At Rei's gasp Tala smiled slightly. "Yes. I'm Zev and I spent nearly ten years living with her curse. When you had come of age we decided we would bring you back to the Immortal Plain so we could teach you how to use your powers."

Rei rolled his eyes, fingers brushing lightly against _Chrysoprase, _the feeling of the cold crystal against his hand oddly reassuring. "That still doesn't tell me anything about the Prophecy. Why am I so important?"

The redhead caught Rei's left arm and pushed his sleeve up to bare his wrist. He rubbed his thumb over the soft skin. When he pulled away a small dark spot that looked like a feline footprint graced the tan skin. "Because it was said the one baring the mark of the Tiger would save the Immortal Realm. Kai was actually the person who saw the Prophecy." Tala closed his eyes as though it would better help him visualize the words. "A Prince of the Blood will return from unknown exile-"

"To rid the world of the Blood Queen. I'm touched that you remembered the Prophecy so well Prince Tala."

In the blink of an eye Tala was in front of Rei, sharp eyes fixed on the figure in the doorway.

Rei had been expecting a gaunt, cadaverous person that looked like the dead she used in her magic. Instead he was faced with a neko-jin with bright pink hair that matched her robes and nails perfectly.

She caught Rei's eyes and bowed, a bright smile curling her painted lips. "Rei Spirit Prince, I am pleased to finally meet you and I hope you are ready to start the Apprenticeship you were denied years ago."

Tala took a half step forward, his power swirling around him like a cloak. "I won't allow you to have him Mariah. We know what you've done with your other Apprentices. How you've trained them before killing them and absorbing their power into yours. You will not have another innocent victim."

With a quick movement of her hand she slammed the redhead against the cell wall and held him in place as she stalked forward until she was standing in front of Rei who was watching her with wide eyes.

The Enchantress cupped Rei's cheek with one hand, thumb brushing across his cheek as she stared at him. "I did what I had to so my Apprentices wouldn't get out of control, but I would never do that to Rei. He is of my blood." She glanced at Tala, smiling at the horrified look on the redhead's face.

"He's my son."


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: Well, this is the end. It's been a good run, but now is the time for this story to finish up. I'm grateful to all of you who've taken the time to read and review my story. I hope you all enjoy my final offering.

Tala glanced from Rei to Mariah before he shook his head. When he spoke his voice was filled with anger. "So stupid. We assumed when the Prophecy said a Prince of the Blood we thought it meant a neko-jin, not actually someone related to the Enchantress."

Despite the fact he was still trapped against the wall by an invisible force the redhead continued to glare at the pink haired neko. "I won't let you have him. Your reign of terror has lasted for to long and I would be going back on my vow if I allowed you to have the one person who can amplify your powers. "

Mariah laughed and pulled a short silver dagger from the sleeve of her robe. "Pretty words from a man who is going to die." She glanced at her son. "I'm sure they told you they're Immortal. They don't get sick and they don't age, but their powers don't save them from a blade."

With a lighting quick movement she pressed the small dagger into Rei's hand, golden eyes glowing with passion. "Do it Rei. It's not too late. If you spill his blood now you can still reclaim the right to ultimate power that is yours."

Rei flinched away from the woman. "No. I'm not evil."

The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the small room. For a brief moment the picture was frozen, blood dribbling from the corner of Rei's mouth, Mariah's hand open and a slight pink in color from where it had impacted with her son's face. "Ungrateful whelp! I offer power far beyond what you will have if you become Spirit and you throw it in my face." She snatched the dagger back and moved towards Tala, the knife held easily. "Fine. I'll take Tala's life myself. The blood of an Elemental Prince will serve to strengthen my powers."

Rei took a half step forward, knowing he had to do something to prevent Tala's death. However, the choice was taken from him when the Enchantress shrieked in agony, the silver knife dropping from her hand. An arrow fletched in red and silver protruded from her hand, blood slowly oozing from the wound.

"I wouldn't suggest trying it Mariah. The next arrow will find your heart. It won't kill you but I can guarantee it'll slow you do long enough for us to finally finish this."

Both neko-jin whirled around to find Lei, Kai and Bryan standing in the door, watching them with sharp eyes. Lei's eyes were fastened on Mariah, a second arrow nocked, pointing at the ground. Rei had watched Lei practice and he knew that the arrow would be flying through the air the moment Mariah moved.

The female neko-jin pulled the arrow from her hand, blood dripping to the floor. "Hello Lei. I'm glad to see you have no problems going against your Clan."

Lei shrugged, the tension on the string of his bow never easing. "I am no longer a member of the Clan, and neither are you. You were exiled after you turned to Blood Magic and my only family is in this room." His bow came up and he drew the string back until it was touching his cheek. "Release him."

The Enchantress' eyes flicked to Bryan and Kai who were flanking Lei before she sighed. "As you wish." With a sharp gesture Tala was released from his confinement.

The redhead landed lightly on the floor. Without looking away from Mariah he caught the glaive Bryan tossed him. With a fluid practiced moment the pole arm dipped down, the leather sheath slipping off to reveal a razor sharp blade, mist seeming to creep along the edge.

Bryan took a half step away from Lei, naked blade in one hand, the other reaching out towards Rei. "Get away from her. Even with a hole in her hand she's not to be trusted."

Mariah turned to look at the pale man, golden eyes taking on a slightly insane look. "You are hardly one to talk of trust Wind. You came to me disguised as an old midwife. After Rei's birth you gave me tea, claiming it would help to soothe the pain. Instead, I wake up two days later, with my child missing!"

Darkness flowed from her fingers towards Bryan. The lavender haired man waved his hand in a negligent manner, and a slight breeze stirred before dying, taking the darkness with it. A smirk twisted his pale lips. "You'll have to do better Witch. As much as you complain about Elemental magic being weak it's just as powerful as Blood magic. Especially when the users are bonded."

The fingers on Mariah's uninjured hand flexed into claws and she lunged forward, reaching for Rei. Everyone else in the room burst into motion the moment the Enchantress moved. Lei's arrow rocketed between Rei and his mother, causing the female to twist away, hissing in anger.

When she moved to spring again a long knife flew past her cheek, slicing the tan skin. Dark blood followed the curve of her cheek and she moved forward again, eyes intent on Rei. "But you aren't bonded."

Kai stepped forward, a second knife in his fingers, identical to the one that had broken Mariah's flesh. "No, we aren't but it doesn't mean we can't hold you off long enough to do what we have to do."

The Enchantress smirked. "Not if I don't give you a chance." She wiped a finger across the blood on her cheek and started chanting, the sound low and sibilant. The blood from her hand dripped to the floor in an increasing flow, forming a small puddle. As the chanting continued the blood seemed to pull up, until it was knee high and looked vaguely human. Without taking her eyes from the men she crouched down, one finger touching the top of the thing's head. "A Blood Golem. Normally not dangerous but in the hands of an experienced Blood Mage they can drain the life from anyone."

Her eyes flickered to Bryan as she stood. "You took Rei from me and in return I'll take something from you."

The Golem seemed to ooze across the floor tendrils reaching for Kai. The slate haired Immortal stared down at the dark puddle, mahogany eyes hard. For several seconds the animated blood hoisted its body up Kai's leg.

Kai raised his head from the thing's ascent. A sharp smirk twisted his lips and flames seemed to burn in his eyes. "I will acknowledge your prowess as a Blood Mage, but you've never tested your Golem on a Fire Prince."

Without warning a pillar of flame surrounded the knife-wielding Prince. Golden flames licked at the ceiling, charring the stone with alarming speed. A rancid, greasy cloud of smoke filled the air that was quickly followed by a sickly smell.

Unable to tear his eyes away from the inferno that had become Kai, Rei yelped when a hard hand closed on his upper arm and he was thrust against Tala. One of the redhead's arms curled around him, holding him close.

Bryan cast a glance to the flames that engulfed his bonded, silver eyes reflecting the flames. "Do it Tala. Kai is giving us the time."

Before Rei could ask what exactly Tala was supposed to do he found himself out of Tala's arms and standing in the triangle formed by the three men. The Prince smiled softly and held out his hand, palm up to reveal a perfectly clear snowflake that looked like it had been carved out of crystal. "Take it."

Rei picked the small snowflake up, gasping when it disappeared; a shiver moving down his spine as he felt a coolness ripple through his body from where the snowflake had touched his hand.

A warm hand brushed his chin and tilted his head back before Tala claimed his lips in a soft kiss. When the redhead pulled back his fingers danced across the neko-jin's cheek. "Bound to Ice through love."

Lei was next, pressing a small topaz pebble into his hand that filled him with the feeling of hardness and never ending strength. The other neko-jin kissed him on the forehead before pulling back to wink at him. "Bound to Earth through compassion and blood."

Bryan replaced Lei, cool fingers brushing over the mark on the inside of his wrist. A silvery vortex appeared in the lavender haired man's hand. The Prince brushed a kiss across his right temple as the vortex seemed to sink into the tan skin, a sense of never ending power filling him. "Bound to Wind through determination."

A hand that was almost hot enough to burn closed over his wrist and he was turned to face Kai. The Fire prince was completely unscathed, besides the dark stain on his pants where the golem had tried to climb his leg. Warm lips touched his right temple. "Bound to Fire through courage."

Mariah hissed, anger welling in her golden eyes. She could see the white nimbus that surrounded her son, so much like the ones surrounding the other four males. With a low growl she crouched down, gaze on Bryan. He was the biggest and strongest, the impromptu leader. If he fell the others would quickly follow.

The Enchantress leapt at the Wind prince, a second knife appearing in her hands, its blade streaked with blackness. The poison on the blade would sap Bryan's strength and will to live before any of the other's could act. Even the healing powers of Spirit would not be able to save someone if even they were simply scratched.

Before she could react Bryan was pushed out of the way and replaced with Rei, who was watching her, eyes filled with anguish. Not willing to hurt her son, even if he had betrayed her she dropped the knife and simply slammed into him, fingers digging into his shoulders and drawing blood.

The tableau remained unbroken for several seconds. The four Princes were standing in a circle around the two neko-jin, eyes wide with shock. Mariah was leaning against her son, arms on his shoulders. One of Rei's arms was curled around the Enchantress' waist, holding her almost tenderly, her head tucked under his chin. His other arm was trapped between their bodies.

Intense pain was radiating through her body and with a groan of pain she pulled away from Rei, eyes falling to the crystal blade that pierced her stomach, dark blood flowing along the ridges of crystal to stain Rei's skin. When she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper. "_Chrysoprase_, the only weapon in the world that can actually completely destroy a practitioner of Blood magic." Ignoring the numbness that was rapidly spreading she lifted her hand and brushed it against her son's cheek, leaving a smear of blood behind.

Rei's eyes were burning with anguish as he slowly pushed the blade in further, the dark liquid on his hands sending tingles down his spine. "I'm sorry."

Mariah, despite the pain she was in managed to smirk. "No one saw fit to tell you how _Chrysoprase_ works did they. Inside your blade are the souls of hundreds of mages, all trapped for eternity." She reached between them, hands curling around the blade, the edges lacerating her hand. Dipping a finger in the blood she traced a rune on Rei's forehead. "Remember, dear son, that you might have killed me and consigned me to eternal damnation that I will always be with you. Blood ties are the deepest bond known."

Tala jerked forward as Rei slumped to the ground, falling away from his mother who was also slumping to the ground, eyes vacant. He dropped to his knees with the neko-jin cradled against his chest, his brothers standing over him. "Rei?"

Golden eyes fluttered briefly, one hand coming up to fist Tala's worn and dirty shirt. "Cold."

Kai stepped forward and dropped down across from Tala power flowing through the young man. "He's suffering from backlash. Some kind of Blood magic that she could use because she's his mother." His eyes came up to meet the redhead's dazed eyes. "Not to mention the shock of having killed his mother. The best thing we can do for him now is to get him back to your mansion."

The Ice prince slowly got to his feet and followed his brothers out of the room.

Three months later

Tala tightened his arm around Rei's shoulders, ignoring the look he got from the Spirit prince. As much as the neko-jin would like to think he was ready to go greet his sister he wasn't. He'd barely started walking again, even after the nearly three months ago he'd destroyed the Enchantress. The battle had drained him and left him on death's door for far longer then Tala really wanted to think about.

Added to the magical backlash had been the knowledge that he'd killed his own mother. Yes, he'd spent all of his life in the Mortal Realms with a woman and sisters he considered family but even the thought of Aine could soften the blow. Rei had still spent much of his time in a depression about everything that had happened. It was only after Lei spent time with the younger neko-jin telling him of their Clan had the youngest Prince started to come out of his shell.

When Rei had approached him about bringing Aine to live with them he had given his consent immediately. He would have brought Rei's entire family if he had thought it would help, but he knew Rei would be happier with just his younger sister there.

The neko-jin had badly wanted to get his sister but he'd still been weak and the trip would have tired him out to much. Tala wasn't willing to leave Rei's side, Lei's wife had been in labor and Kai had been dealing with bandits in his lands. In the end, Bryan had been the only person left to pull Rei's sister from the small one room cabin on the border of the Mortal Realm.

Rei, fearing his sister would be slightly upset by Bryan's stern manner had insisted that Firn accompany Bryan. The she-wolf had been more then happy to travel with the man.

Falborg's piercing cry broke Tala's ruminations and the redhead was forced to tighten his grip on Rei once again. "Patience Rei. Just a little longer."

The neko-jin muttered something under his breath that Tala couldn't quite make out but burrowed closer to the Ice prince. He still hadn't completely adapted to the cold yet. The muffled thump of horse's hooves on packed snow reached his ears and he instantly perked back up, ignoring the arm around his shoulders.

Bryan's gelding rounded the final turn in the lane and Rei's fingers tightened on Tala's arm. The lavender haired man was draped in a heavy fur cloak, more for the benefit of the small child perched on the saddle in front of him. Aine had never been able to handle the cold, her weak lungs making being out in cold weather for long periods of time difficult.

Kai had imbued clothing for her with his power, guaranteeing Rei the clothing would help her lungs to function in the cold climate of Tala's realm. Lei's wife, a talented alchemist had also sent along several potions and elixirs to ease her on the trip.

Bryan pulled his horse to a stop and slipped off its back, Aine held securely in one arm. The moment the girl saw her brother she shrieked with happiness and started wiggling, forcing Bryan to readjust his arms around her so she wouldn't plunge to the ground. "Hold still you little monster." The Prince managed to drape a second cloak over his squirming bundle before setting her down.

Tala didn't even try to hold the neko-jin back as he rushed to his sister. Rei's happiness was all that mattered.

END


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